Bowl type oil burner with spark ignition means



June 20, 1950 R. P. BREESE BOWL TYPE OIL BURNER WITH SPARK IGNITIONMEANS Filed June 19, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Rosem- R Bases: Y@am flmfwm ATTO NEYS June 20, 1950 R. P. BREESE BOWL TYPE OIL BURNERWITH SPARK IGNITION MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1946 INVENTOR.Roan-r P. Baeasz June 20, 1950 R. P. BREESE 2,512,301 I BOWL TYPE OILBURNER WITH SPARK IGNITION MEANS Filed June 19, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Rosem- P. Bases:

BY m; MW?

ATTO NE'YS Patented June 20, 1950 mesne assignments, to

General ration, Garden City, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication June 19, 1946', Serial No. 677,878 Claims. (c1. 158-28) Thisinvention relates to oil burners and D ticularly to the ignition oi oilin a vaporizing burner.

In the use of vaporizing type burners the oil, which is initiallyinjected into the vaporizer, is

commonly ignited by means of a flame applied to the oil in the vaporizerby mean of a burning taper or the like. With this method of inducingcombustion of the oil it is obvious that the oil must be raised to itsflash point and that the heat created by the igniting flame must not bedissipated so quickly by the vaporizer-and by the oil itself that theflame will not raise the temperature of the oil to its flash point. Thusthe structure of the vaporizer must be given careful attention so thatit will not objectionably dissipate the heat generated by the ignitingflame. Moreover, the amount of heat necessary to apply, to producecombustion of the oil in the vaporizer, increases as the rate of oilflow to the vaporizer and consequently the necessary time 0! application01' the igniting flame increases.

When the combustion of the oil in the vaporizer has been initiated andthe igniting flame withdrawn, the heat 01' combustion will raise thetemperature of the vaporizer and of course the combustion chamber sothat in normal successful operation of this type of burner the oil thatis subsequently injected into the vaporizer will immediately flash intocombustible vapor so that during perfect operation there will be noaccumulation of liquid fuel in the reservoir of the vaporizer. However,if for any reason combustion ceases, and the oil continues to flow intothe vaporizer, the problem of initiating vaporization such as has beenabove discussed, is repeated. Likewise, if the feed of the oil into thevaporizer is more rapid than that required for complete combustion ofoil in the vaporizer, the oil will build up in the vaporizer and ofcourse cool the vaporizer, with the result that the dissipation of theheat by the vaporizer and by the reservoir 01' oil is apt to terminatecombustion, with the result that it must again be initiated in themanner that has heretofore been described.

The present invention is directed to an igniter for a vaporizing typeburner that will overcome the disadvantages resident in the previoustypes and will possess, in addition, many ad vantages.

One object of the invention resides in the provision of an igniter thatwill quickly initiate combustion of the oil in the vaporizer,irrespective of the oil level.

z provision of an igniter which will present oil to an ignition spark insuch physical state and position that the oil within the vaporizer willbe almost instantly ignited by the spark above the oil level,irrespective oi the amount of oil within the vaporizer.

Another object of the invention resides in the" provision of an igniterthat will initially create an ignition spark adjacent the suriace oi theoil, and which is so constructed that the spark will progress away fromthe oil level, forming, in eiiect, an arc-like flame, and at the sametime presenting to the spark at its initiation, and during its progressaway from the oil level, oil in such a physical state that it willalmost instantaneously be ignited by the spark over a considerable area.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an igniterwhich is so constructed that it is adapted for use in present standardvaporizing type burners.

With these and other objects in view, such as will appear as thedescription progresses, the in-- vention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings, described in thespecification and recited in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional view showing the igniter in position in avaporizing type burner, sufflcient of the burner being shown toillustrate the cooperation and showing also diagrammatically theelectric circuit in which the igniter is connected;

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 oi Figure 1, looking in thedirection oi. the arrows;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of a modifled form of igniter inassociation with a vaporiz- Figure 5 is a vertical section showinganother modified form of igniter in association with a vaporizing typeburner: and

Figure 6 is a horizontal section on line 6-0 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures1 and 2 of the drawings, the outer and inner shells of the combustionchamber of an oil burner are indicated by the reference numerals I and2, the chamber being provided with the usual opening and gasket at 3.The complete chamber is shown in Figure 3.

A further object of the invention resides in the A vaporizing typeburner 4 is located within 3 the combustion chamber and supported in theusual manner.

The igniter includes an electrode 5 which is carried by an insulator 6.the insulator being of such form that it is adapted tov fit within thecommonly used gasket 3 of presently standard 011 burners. This electrodeis connected to a source of high potential electric energy in anysuitable manner and may be so connected as is later described in thespecification. A pair of grounded electrodes 1 and 8 are removablymounted in the oil vaporizer I. Each of these electrodes includes ametallic wick carrier 8 which is, in the form illustrated in thedrawing, of U-shaped cross section, and may be removably secured to thevaporizer, as for instance to the upper edge of the vaporizer by ahook-shaped member It. The side and back walls of each carrier 9 areprovided with series of openings H. A wick H is mounted within andcarried by each of these carriers 9 and is of sufiicient length toproject beyond the lower end I! of the carrier and to contact with andrest upon the bottom of the vaporizer, as indicated at l3. Theseelectrodes I and 8 are arranged at their lower ends relatively closetogether and diverge upwardly away from the electrode 5, thus increasingthe spark gap from the lower ends of the electrodes toward the upperends thereof. The wicks H are so constructed and are of such materialthat they will conduct oil upwardly from the level of any oil that iswithin the vaporizer and with which they are in contact, and will sodistribute the oil with which they are saturated that it will be in athin film. Moreover, these wicks are preferably of a low specific heatso that their temperature may easily be raised to bring the oil withwhich they are saturated to a temperature of combustion; Thus the wicksshould be of a porous material so that the oil may rise therein bycapillarity and so that the oil with which they become saturated will bedistributed on the peaks of the rough surface of the wicks in a thinfilm and thus presented to the spark that passes between the electrodes,in such condi'ion that, upon the creation of the spark, the oilcarasiaaoi I a spark jumps between the electrodes, irrespective of theoil level or, otherwise stated, irrespective of the, degree ofsubmergence of the electrodes s, 1 and a. I

When any considerable amount of oil is present in the vaporizer for anyreason and a high potential is impressed on the electrode 5, a sparkwill initially jump between that electrode and one of the electrodes 1or 8, above the oil level, since the oil will act as an insulator toprevent the jumping of the spark below the oil level. Of course when thespark jumps adjacent the oil level it will ionize and heat the air andthe heated and ionized air, rising, will create such conditions that thespark will jump between the electrode 5 and one of the electrodes 1 or 8progressively upwardly from the level of the oil until the spark gapbecomes such that the resistance is greater than that at the oil level,at which time the spark will again jump at the oil level and againprogress upwardly. During this upward progress oi the spark, which isvery rapid, what might be termed an ignition flame will be created andthus it will ignite the oil throughout a substantial extent, if not theentire extent, of the portions of the wicks that are saturated with oil.

The temperature of the vaporizer and whatever oil may be within it arequickly raised to the temperature of combustion of the oil. The resultof this is that the oil in the vaporizer of this type burner willquickly be ignited and it 0 makes little difference whether thevaporizer is ried by the wicks will be fiashed into combustionthroughout a substantial portion of the wicks as the spark travels fromadjacent the oil upwardly therefrom and along the wicks, as laterdescribed.

While not so limited, the invention includes the use of a wick that is aporous, pitted or rough surfaced refractory, such as a ceramic or fireclay which will of course have the ability to raise the oil from the oilwithin the vaporizer above the oil level by capillarity, and which isalso of a low specific heat.

To install the igniter in a currently standard pot type oil burner it isonly necessary to place the electrodes 1 and 8 in position in thevaporizer so that the hook-shaped members in will engage over the edgeof the vaporizer and the lower ends of the wicks will rest upon thebottom of the vaporizer and to then insert the electrode 5 and itsinsulator Ii through the opening in the combustion chamber of the oilburner and emplace it within the gasket I.

If there is but an oil film upon the bottom of the vaporizer, when ahigh potential is impressed on the electrode .5 and the spark jumps fromthe lower end of said electrode 5 to the bottom of the vaporizer, it maybe that the oil film will be ignited provided that the conditionsexisting on the bottom of the vaporizer are favorable to ignition as,for instance, if there is a already partly filled with oil before anattempt at combustion is made, or whether the oil is injected into thevaporizer only after the creation of the spark has been initiated.

As illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, the distance between theelectrode 5 and the electrodes l and 8 is less than the distance betweenthe electrode 5 and the nearest point of the vaporizer 4. Thus, when thewicks ll carry oil and there is no oil reservoir in the vaporizer, thespark will jump between the electrodes 5 and 1 or 8 rather than betweenthe former electrode and the vaporizer with the result that the oil inthe wicks will be raised to the flash point.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of thedrawings the igniter differs from that of Figures 1 and 2 in that twoelectrodes are provided, the electrode l4 being connected to the sourceof suitable electric energy and the electrode 15 being grounded, throughan electric conductor-ring N that is in electric contact with thegrounded outer shell I of the combustion chamber. These electrodes arearranged in spaced relation to each other and are substantially U-shapedin cross section, having a base it and side walls H, as illustrated inFigure 4.

Each of the side walls I! is serrated forming spark points It, the sparkpoints of one electrode being aligned with the cooperating points of theother.

The complemental spark points l8 on the two electrodes H and i5 mayeither be a constant distance apart throughout their extent, or theymay, as illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings,

8 be an increasing distance apart from the ends of the electrodes.

Each of the electrodes carries a fuel conductor It which is at leastcoextensive with the serrated edges of the walls I! of the electrodes.

7 The two fuel conductors, which may be of any suitable material such asthat hereinbefore referred to, extend beyond the serrations of theelectrodes but terminate in spaced relation to each other. This form ofigniter is mounted in the burner casing and extends into the vaporizingpot substantially in a manner similar to that described in connectionwith the form illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, and whenthe igniter is thrown into operation a spark will jump between the sparkpoints I! that are immediately above the level of the oil in the pot,regardless of what that level may be, and jumpin will ignite. the filmsof oil on the fuel conductors is,

with the result that the oil within the pot will be ignited.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of thedrawings, the head 20, which is of suitable electric insulatingmaterial, is removably mounted in an insulating ring 2|, which iscarried by the burner casing. An electrode 22, which is connected to asuitable source of electric energy such as a transformer, is mountedwithin the head and extends therefrom into the vaporizing pot. Thiselectrode is provided with spaced circular teeth 23. A second andgrounded electrode 24, which is substantially U- shaped in crosssection, is supported by the vaporizing pot at and is provided with aserrated edge which forms spark points 26 that are aligned with and arecomplemental to the circular teeth or spark points 23 of the electrode22. This electrode 24 also carries a fuel conductor 21 of the characterhereinbefore described.

The spark points 28 and the spark points or teeth 23 of the twoelectrodes may either be a constant distance apart throughout the extentof the electrodes, or they may diverge upwardly forming graduallyincreasing spark gaps.

In Figure 5 of the drawings the spark points are illustrated asincreasing in distance apart upwardly from the oil.

when the igniter is thrown into circuit the spark will jump between thespark points above the level of the oil and will, as in the case of theother forms of the invention, ignite the film of oil on the conductorand, as a result, will ignite .the oil in the vaporizing pot.

It will of course be realized that in the forms of invention shown inFigures 3 and 5 this jumping of the spark above the oil level will occurirrespective of that oil level so that at all times the film of oilabove the oil level will be ignited by the jumping spark.

In the various forms of the invention where the spark points increase indistance apart upwardly from the oil level, the spark will of coursefirst jump between the spark points proximate the oil level. This willresult in an ionization of the gas above the oil level and in a heatingof the gas.

The heated gas will rise and the spark will, during that rise, jumpbetween the successive spark points progressively upwardly because ofthe fact that the ionized gas is of lesser resistance than theun-ionized gas. Successive sparks will be produced to ignite the film ofoil on the fuel conductor throughout the length of the conductor, withthe result that an extensive and hot details of construction except inso far as 8 oil in the vaporizer, irrespective of the oil level in thesame.

Of course it is to'be realized that in the forms of the inventionillustrated in Figures 1 and 3, if for any reason the igniter fails tooperate electrically it may be removed from the burner, the film of oilon the conductor ignited and reinserted into the vaporizing pot toignite the oil therein.

While particular embodiments of the inventiorP- have been illustratedand described, it is to be understood and will be realized that certainchanges in details of construction may be varied and I, therefore, donot wish to be limited to the they are recited in the claims.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with a thermovaporizing oil burner of the type thatincludes an open top bowl having liquid fuel and combustion airsupplies, of an electrode having a sparking surface extending into saidbowl from the open end thereof to adjacent the bottom thereof, a secondelectrode having a sparking surface extending in an upwardl divergentrelation to said first mentioned sparking surface throughout asubstantial portion of its length, and means for elevating oil in saidbowl to substantially the full extent of said second electrode andadjacent the sparking surface thereof.

2. The combination with a thermovaporizing oil burner of the type thatincludes an open top bowl having liquid fuel and combustiomair suppiia,of an electrode having a sparking surface extending into said bowl fromthe open end thereof to adjacent the bottom thereof, a. second electrodehaving a sparking surface extending in an upwardly divergent relation tosaid-first mentioned sparking surface throughout a substantial portionof its length, and means for elevating oil in said bowl to substantiallythe full extent of said second electrode and adjacent the sparkingsurface thereof, said oil elevating means comprising a wick of porous,rough surface, low specific heat material.

3. The combination with a thermovaporizing oil burner of the type thatincludes an open top bowl having liquid fuel and combustion airsupplies, of an electrode having a sparking surface extending into saidbowl from the open end thereof to adjacent the bottom thereof, a secondelectrode having a sparking surface extending in an upwardly divergentrelation to said t mentioned sparking surface throughout a substantialportion of its length, and means for elevating oil in said bowl tosubstantially the full extent of said second electrode and adjacent thesparking surface thereof, said second electrode comprising a metallicmember having a back wall and side walls having openings therein andsaid oil elevating means comprising a wick arranged within said metallicmember between said back and side walls and exposed through saidopenings.

4. The combination with a thermovaporizing oil burner of the type thatincludes an open top bowl having liquid fuel and combustion airsuppiles, of an electrode having a sparking surface extending into saidbowl from the open end thereof to adjacent the. bottom thereof, a secondelectrode having a sparking surface extending in an upwardly divergentrelation to said first mentioned sparking surface throughout asubstantial portion of its length, and means for elevating oil in saidbowl to substantially th full extent of said second electrode andadjacent the sparking flame will be created to effectively ignite thefuel 15 surface thereof, said second electrode comprising 7 a metallicmemberhaving a side wall and said oil elevating means including a wickarranged eontiguous with one face of said side wall.

a 5. The combination with a thermovaporizing oil burner of the type thatincludes an open top bowl having liquid fuel and combustion airsupplies, of an electrode having a sparking surface extending into saidbowl from the open end thereof to adjacent the bottom thereof, a secondelectrode having a. sparking surface extending in an upwardly divergentrelation to said first mentloned sparking surface throughout asubstantial portion of its length, and means for elevating oil in saidbowl to substantially the full extent of said second electrode andadjacent the sparking surface thereof, said second electrode comprisinga metallic member having a side wall and said oil elevating meansincluding a wick arranged contiguous with one face of said side wall,and having a face exposed to said first mentioned Number electrodesubstantially throughout the length of the sparking surface of saidsecond electrode.

ROBERT P. BREE-SE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in,-th file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,673,110 Fogarty June 12, 19281,681,065 Steward Aug. 14, 1928 1,888,692 Powers Nov. 22, 1932 1,888,695Powers Nov. 22, 1932 2,076,691 Young Apr. 13, 193'! 2,129,472 LysholmSept. 8, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 444,255 France of 1918

